Unincorporated Bexar County does not require short-term rental hosts to live on-site or be present during guest stays. Texas HB 1620 (2025) bars counties from imposing host-presence mandates on STR operators.
Bexar County has no ordinance requiring short-term rental hosts to occupy the dwelling or remain on the premises while guests are present. Texas HB 1620, effective September 2025, preempts local rules that distinguish between owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied STRs or that mandate host residency. Operators in unincorporated Bexar can run fully unhosted whole-home rentals through Airbnb, Vrbo, or similar platforms. San Antonio city limits apply different rules. Hosts must still comply with state hotel occupancy tax (6%) and county HOT (1.75%) collection requirements through platform agreements or direct registration with the Comptroller.
No county penalties exist because no host-presence rule applies. State tax non-compliance triggers Texas Comptroller hotel occupancy tax audits and back-tax assessments.
See how Universal City's host presence rule rules stack up against other locations.
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